Saturday, July 13, 2013

Recycled Musical Instruments - A Free and Fun Craftivity for a Sensory or Pre-K Classroom


Recycled Musical Instruments - A Free and Fun Craftivity for a Sensory or Pre-K Classroom
by Amanda Schuepfer



  • The best part about this craft is that it is free and recycled, and the students can create musical instruments that they will love using for weeks to come!
  • Instructions for the drums (it is geared toward the drum on a stick, but applies to all 3) can be found at the bottom of this blog entry - keep scrolling, please.   :D


Clear Plastic Drum with Sequins, Beads, Rice, and Stickers







Coffee Can Drum with a Metal AND Plastic Base - both are fun (it also contains rice so it sounds extra cool when drummed upon!)



2 Pictures of the Drum on a Stick with Strings - the second is updated to have a second string of pearl beads


 


A Group Photo!!




Instructions:

Materials:
Dowel/pencil, 2 plastic containers exactly or really close to the same size, dental floss/string/yarn, many small beads/rice/small noise-making objects and 2 large beads, crazy glue and/or packaging tape (I recommend both for strength and durability), and any other knickknacks/extras as desired (ex: stickers or markers to decorate the outside of the drum).

Directions:
1.) Poke a dowel/pencil into the side of 1 of the plastic containers. 

2.) Tie dental floss, string, or yarn to the pencil on the part of it inside the container so the string is even on either end. (I recommend dental floss because it is super strong). Then tie large beads to both ends of the string/floss, making sure the string is the right length to hit the "drum" surface. (Another tip - I recommend making it longer than you think, mine wound up a tiny bit too short).

3.) Put small beads/rice inside container - this step is easy for students to do. You can also substitute/add small items like sequins, bells, googly eyes - the sky is the limit!!

4.) Crazy glue the pencil to the inside of the container. Glue the 2 containers together, secure with packaging or duck tape. 

5.) Make music!!


**For older kids/an alternative, you can use larger plastic containers, like from yogurt, and just make a drum without the stick for a more grown-up musical instrument.
**Other alternatives for fun are to add different types of beads or materials both inside and outside the drum (ex: uncooked noodles or buttons to the outer strings), adding stickers, sequins, or drawing on the drum, using larger containers and differently shaped ones, hot gluing bells to the edge to make it a tambourine too!! 








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